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Health & Fitness

Give Thanks To Your Pet

This note is from "Truth About Pet Food".

I’m seeing all types of warnings on the Internet – warning pet owners against sharing any of your Thanksgiving dinner with your pet. I’m here to say the opposite.

Of course you should share some of your beautiful Thanksgiving meal with your cat or dog! Why wouldn’t you share some real food with your pet(s)?

I’ve probably read four or five articles recently, warning pet owners against sharing Thanksgiving people food with their pet. This is such antiquated thinking…actually it is manipulated thinking. Manipulated by Big Pet Food. They want us to believe our pets should only consume commercial pet food. They are wrong.

There is no logic (or science) to preventing a cat or dog from consuming real food. Why should your cat or dog be denied a couple bites of Thanksgiving turkey? Why can’t your dog share some of the green beans or broccoli or sweet potato? There is no reason (for a healthy pet).

Yes – there is a small amount of common sense involved here. Don’t give cats or dogs any of the following foods… Onions, Garlic raw*, Grapes, Raisins, Macadamia Nuts, Candy or Gum, Chocolate, Cooked bones, Fruit seeds and pits, Salty/Sugary foods, Yeast dough, Fat trimmings, alcohol or caffeinated beverages. Safe in small amount foods are… Avocado (small amounts of the flesh only – do not allow a cat or dog access to the pit!), Garlic (in small amounts ONLY as seasoning. Not recommended for cats or Japanese dog breeds, such as Akitas and Shiba Inus), Salt & Pepper (seasoning only).

And…don’t fix a full plate of turkey, dressing, sweet potato casserole, and so on for your dog or cat – especially when their normal diet is 100% commercial pet food. Don’t give your cat or dog a portion of turkey dripping with fat or an entire turkey leg. But there is absolutely nothing wrong with adding a few bites of your wonderful Thanksgiving meal to their bowl.

For cats - A safe amount of turkey meat to add is 1 tablespoon. For dogs - Under 10 pounds – 1 teaspoon turkey meat, 2 teaspoons vegetables*. 10 to 40 pounds – 1 tablespoon turkey meat, 2 tablespoons vegetables*. 41+ pounds – 2 tablespoons turkey meat, 4 tablespoons vegetables*. *With vegetables – pull a portion aside before you add to your casserole or season, lightly cook. Example, pull a tablespoon or two portion of sweet potato aside – bake until soft, cool and serve.

To learn more about providing your pet real food (becoming a Pet Foodie), go to www.thedogmaonline.com, or come visit our Pet Wellness Center, The Dogma Natural Pet Market 8420 Main St. #woodstock. Wishing all of you and your beautiful pets a fabulous Thanksgiving Holiday!

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